With the addition of our new instructor, Virginia McGrath, Music & More is offering new programs for Circle Dancing and Yoga for Seniors. What is yoga for seniors? Read on to learn the answer!
Hatha Yoga (which means sun and moon) is an ancient practice of flexion and extension of the body as a flow of dancelike movements that are connected together to stimulate the flow of energy within the spine. These exercises assist in bringing balance to the body of the person and returning to a place of peace and presence to the mind and spirit. Chigong, meditation, breathwork, mindfulness walking and meridian stretches are also combined to introduce a variety of methods that increase flexibility, decrease stress and anxiety and reduce chronic aches and pains. Yoga for seniors is designed to be low impact, yet enough of a challenge to encourage an awakened shift of awareness. Yoga for seniors can be done seated in a chair and can be modified to personal comfort and ability.
Thursday, July 19, 2012
Virginia McGrath - Circle Dancing & Yoga
Virginia is a Certified Yoga Instructor for Hatha Yoga (Sun and Moon or flexion and extension of the spine) integrating Chi gong (energy work to encourage awareness of the flow of energy within and around you), Breath work (to consciously watch the breath to bring us present and to surrender the pose to the movement of breath), Meridian stretches to activate the electromagnetic pathways to create balance and energy flow to utilize and connect to our unlimited potential of the body, mind and spirit. Virginia also offers private sessions for Zen Shiatsu ShinTai energy bodywork and is a Reiki Master Practitioner for Chakra balancing.
Virginia is a facilitator for workshops on Metaphysical and Universal principals like Vision Boarding, (visualizing what you wish to create), energetic DNA, energy flows within the body and around the body and essential oils as vibrational frequency healing potential. She is a lover of international music and traditional indigenous spiritual practice and ceremonies, finding the bridge that connects all peoples of the world cross culturally. A lover of repetitive meditative movement, singing and chanting, Virginia has facilitated drum circles and circle dancing. She participates in ceremonial blessings for community projects and is a conch shell horn blower for events pertaining to bringing awareness and respect for the Earth and all that live upon it for peace and unity.
Virginia currently resides in Allentown, PA and teaches beginners Hatha yoga with a large following of senior citizens who find that they feel more strength, flexibility and balance and the melting away of their chronic aches and pains by changing old patterns and belief systems.
Virginia is a facilitator for workshops on Metaphysical and Universal principals like Vision Boarding, (visualizing what you wish to create), energetic DNA, energy flows within the body and around the body and essential oils as vibrational frequency healing potential. She is a lover of international music and traditional indigenous spiritual practice and ceremonies, finding the bridge that connects all peoples of the world cross culturally. A lover of repetitive meditative movement, singing and chanting, Virginia has facilitated drum circles and circle dancing. She participates in ceremonial blessings for community projects and is a conch shell horn blower for events pertaining to bringing awareness and respect for the Earth and all that live upon it for peace and unity.
Virginia currently resides in Allentown, PA and teaches beginners Hatha yoga with a large following of senior citizens who find that they feel more strength, flexibility and balance and the melting away of their chronic aches and pains by changing old patterns and belief systems.
Tuesday, July 17, 2012
Benefits of Circle Dancing
What is circle dancing? Circle Dancing developed during the 1970s from traditional folk dance from around the world. There is a network of groups in the UK, where participants enjoy dancing together and can celebrate feelings of community and life events. The wide range of music allows the exploration of the social and cultural aspects of connecting lives. Making use of rhythm, music, touch and movement, allows the individual the opportunity to connect with, and relate to others. Research indicates that it contributes positively to the inner well-being of each person who takes part.
Benefits include:
Enjoyment in participation
Movement and mobility; essential and required exercise
Emotional and inner well-being, the circle and the type of music
Reminiscence, Life History, and a tool to link to develop and refresh other activities especially reminiscence
Relationships; contact/friendship encouraged/stimulated between users. Can provide a shared activity in a diverse group of individuals
An activity that does not depend on conversation - for users less able to participate in discussion
An activity which can be offered to people of all ages
Couples work and promotes their relationship sustaining
Can be used for engaging relatives/families in activities
Culture; the music is multi-cultural
Inclusive; both seated and standing dances in a session can involve mixed physical ability users to share an activity
Source: http://www.circledanceindementia.com/
Benefits include:
Enjoyment in participation
Movement and mobility; essential and required exercise
Emotional and inner well-being, the circle and the type of music
Reminiscence, Life History, and a tool to link to develop and refresh other activities especially reminiscence
Relationships; contact/friendship encouraged/stimulated between users. Can provide a shared activity in a diverse group of individuals
An activity that does not depend on conversation - for users less able to participate in discussion
An activity which can be offered to people of all ages
Couples work and promotes their relationship sustaining
Can be used for engaging relatives/families in activities
Culture; the music is multi-cultural
Inclusive; both seated and standing dances in a session can involve mixed physical ability users to share an activity
Source: http://www.circledanceindementia.com/
How Brain Training Can Prepare Your Child for Back to School
While genetics, inadequate instruction and low motivations can contribute to learning and reading difficulties, science confirms that by far, the most common root cause of learning struggles is underlying cognitive skill weakness.
“Cognitive skills are the underlying tools that enable kids to successfully focus, think, prioritize, plan, understand, visualize, remember and create useful associations and solve problems,” says Jim Goryeb, Director of LearningRx.
A child’s cognitive skill set is made up of auditory processing, visual processing, short and long-term memory, comprehension, logic and reasoning, and attention skills. Each can also be divided into identifiable sub-skills, such as sustain attention (staying on task), selective attention (ignoring distractions) and divided attention (handling more than one task at a time). “Each skill and sub-skill play a specific and necessary role and must work in concert before one can learn effectively.”
Parents and teachers can watch for these traits that children with weak cognitive skills display:
- Difficulty paying attention
- Poor test scores, grades or reading comprehension
- Poor memory
- Difficulty organizing activity
- Poor study and work habits
- Taking a long time to complete tasks
- Disinterest (or dislike) in school
A ten-year study by the National Institute of Health found that 88% of learning-to-read difficulties resulted from weak phonemic awareness, the ability to blend, segment and analyze sounds.
A professional cognitive skills test is the only way to pinpoint the exact cause of learning problems. These tests may help further identify a child’s weak cognitive skills and better prepare them for the school year.
“Cognitive skills are the underlying tools that enable kids to successfully focus, think, prioritize, plan, understand, visualize, remember and create useful associations and solve problems,” says Jim Goryeb, Director of LearningRx.
A child’s cognitive skill set is made up of auditory processing, visual processing, short and long-term memory, comprehension, logic and reasoning, and attention skills. Each can also be divided into identifiable sub-skills, such as sustain attention (staying on task), selective attention (ignoring distractions) and divided attention (handling more than one task at a time). “Each skill and sub-skill play a specific and necessary role and must work in concert before one can learn effectively.”
Parents and teachers can watch for these traits that children with weak cognitive skills display:
- Difficulty paying attention
- Poor test scores, grades or reading comprehension
- Poor memory
- Difficulty organizing activity
- Poor study and work habits
- Taking a long time to complete tasks
- Disinterest (or dislike) in school
A ten-year study by the National Institute of Health found that 88% of learning-to-read difficulties resulted from weak phonemic awareness, the ability to blend, segment and analyze sounds.
A professional cognitive skills test is the only way to pinpoint the exact cause of learning problems. These tests may help further identify a child’s weak cognitive skills and better prepare them for the school year.
Sunday, July 15, 2012
Benefits of Drama Therapy
What is drama? It is about reading and portraying emotions through voice and body language. It is about developing a relationship with fellow actors onstage. It is about interpreting a script and reacting to a situation. These are the same skills we use in our everyday interpersonal interactions. Improv games and the dramatic arts are effective in developing important social and life skills.
These benefits include:
Self-confidence not only in performing, but in interaction
Improved self-esteem; pride in their accomplishments
Improved recognition of emotions in others
Improved identification and labeling of own emotions
New leisure time activity in a group where they can be successful
New awareness of volume levels and beginning modulation of level
New skills for functioning as part of a group
New skills for following directions
Improved ability to interact with peers
Increased self-confidence through success
These benefits include:
Self-confidence not only in performing, but in interaction
Improved self-esteem; pride in their accomplishments
Improved recognition of emotions in others
Improved identification and labeling of own emotions
New leisure time activity in a group where they can be successful
New awareness of volume levels and beginning modulation of level
New skills for functioning as part of a group
New skills for following directions
Improved ability to interact with peers
Increased self-confidence through success
Sunday, July 1, 2012
Benefits of Reading Music
There is often a debate regarding the value of learning note reading versus simply playing by ear. Here is why learning to read the notes on the page is so important.
Music enhances the process of learning. The systems they nourish, which include our integrated sensory, attention, cognitive, emotional and motor capacities, are shown to be the driving forces behind all other learning. Taking this one step further, learning to read the notes on a page is an integral part of the benefits that participating in music provides.
Faster Learning: Students who learn to read music also learn other subjects at a faster rate as opposed to students who do not study musical notation.
Bigger Brains: Studies show that people who have learned to read music have larger brains.
Later Career Success: A CA study found that 75% of Silicon Valley CEO’s had instrumental music education as a child, which included learning to read music.
Stay in School: A Chicago study showed that high school students who had a musical education were less likely to drop out of school. Students who learn to read music are more likely to complete school.
Autism, ADHD and Brain Trauma: Learning music and music therapy already are effective for improving autism, ADHD and brain trauma. Learning to read music can be a very important source of successes, increasing rates of learning and improving behavior.
Music enhances the process of learning. The systems they nourish, which include our integrated sensory, attention, cognitive, emotional and motor capacities, are shown to be the driving forces behind all other learning. Taking this one step further, learning to read the notes on a page is an integral part of the benefits that participating in music provides.
Faster Learning: Students who learn to read music also learn other subjects at a faster rate as opposed to students who do not study musical notation.
Bigger Brains: Studies show that people who have learned to read music have larger brains.
Later Career Success: A CA study found that 75% of Silicon Valley CEO’s had instrumental music education as a child, which included learning to read music.
Stay in School: A Chicago study showed that high school students who had a musical education were less likely to drop out of school. Students who learn to read music are more likely to complete school.
Autism, ADHD and Brain Trauma: Learning music and music therapy already are effective for improving autism, ADHD and brain trauma. Learning to read music can be a very important source of successes, increasing rates of learning and improving behavior.
Benefits of Dance
Dance is a powerful ally for developing many of the attributes of a growing child. Dance helps children mature physically, emotionally, socially, and cognitively. The physical benefits of dance are widely accepted, but dance also has emotional, social and cognitive benefits.
Physical Development: Dance involves a greater range of motion, coordination, strength and endurance than most other physical activities. This is accomplished through movement patterns that teach coordination and kinesthetic memory. Dancing utilizes the entire body and is an excellent form of exercise for total body fitness. Young children are naturally active, but dance offers an avenue to expand movement possibilities and skills.
Emotional Maturity: Dance promotes psychological health and maturity. Children enjoy the opportunity to express their emotions and become aware of themselves and others through creative movement. A pre-school child enters a dance class or classroom with a history of emotional experiences. Movement within a class offers a structured outlet for physical release while gaining awareness and appreciation of oneself and others.
Social Awareness: Dance fosters social encounter, interaction, and cooperation. Children learn to communicate ideas to others through the real and immediate mode of body movement. Children quickly learn to work within a group dynamic. As the ongoing and sometimes challenging process of cooperation evolves, children learn to understand themselves in relation to others.
Cognitive Development: Young children will create movement spontaneously when presented with movement ideas or problems that can be solved with a movement response. Movement provides the cognitive loop between the idea, problem, or intent and the outcome or solution. This teaches an infant, child and, ultimately, adult to function in and understand the world.
Adapted from www.ndeo.org
Physical Development: Dance involves a greater range of motion, coordination, strength and endurance than most other physical activities. This is accomplished through movement patterns that teach coordination and kinesthetic memory. Dancing utilizes the entire body and is an excellent form of exercise for total body fitness. Young children are naturally active, but dance offers an avenue to expand movement possibilities and skills.
Emotional Maturity: Dance promotes psychological health and maturity. Children enjoy the opportunity to express their emotions and become aware of themselves and others through creative movement. A pre-school child enters a dance class or classroom with a history of emotional experiences. Movement within a class offers a structured outlet for physical release while gaining awareness and appreciation of oneself and others.
Social Awareness: Dance fosters social encounter, interaction, and cooperation. Children learn to communicate ideas to others through the real and immediate mode of body movement. Children quickly learn to work within a group dynamic. As the ongoing and sometimes challenging process of cooperation evolves, children learn to understand themselves in relation to others.
Cognitive Development: Young children will create movement spontaneously when presented with movement ideas or problems that can be solved with a movement response. Movement provides the cognitive loop between the idea, problem, or intent and the outcome or solution. This teaches an infant, child and, ultimately, adult to function in and understand the world.
Adapted from www.ndeo.org
Benefits of Theater
Research reveals the positive impact of drama and theater on a student’s physical, emotional, social and cognitive development.
Self Confidence: Taking risks in workshops and performing for an audience teach students to trust their ideas and abilities. The confidence gained in drama applies to school, career and life.
Imagination: Making creative choices, thinking of new ideas and interpreting familiar material in new ways are essential to theater and developing a creative mind.
Empathy: Acting roles from different situations, time periods and cultures promotes compassion and tolerance for others’ feelings and viewpoints.
Cooperation/Collaboration: Theater combines the creative ideas and abilities of its participants. This process includes discussing, negotiating, rehearsing and performing together, all of which are important and applicable life skills.
Concentration: Playing, practicing and performing develop a sustained focus of mind, body and voice, which also helps in other school subjects and life.
Communication Skills: Theater enhances verbal and nonverbal communication. It improves voice projection, articulation of words, and fluency with language. It also encourages listening skills.
Problem Solving: Students learn how to communicate the who, what, where and why to the audience. Improvisation fosters quick-thinking solutions, which leads to greater adaptability in life.
Fun: Theater brings play, humor and laughter to learning, which improves motivation and reduces stress.
Emotional Outlet: Pretend play and theater games allow students to express a range of emotions. Aggression and tension can be released in a safe, controlled environment, reducing antisocial behaviors.
Relaxation: Many theater activities reduce stress by releasing mental, physical and emotional tension.
Self – Discipline: The process of moving from ideas to actions to performances teaches the value of practice and perseverance. Theater games and creative movement improve self-control.
Trust: The social interaction and risk taking in theater develop trust in self, others and the process.
Physical Fitness: Movement in theater improves flexibility, coordination, balance and control.
Memory: Rehearsing and performing words, movements and cues strengthen the memory like a muscle.
Copyright 2005 J. Basom (Adapted)
Self Confidence: Taking risks in workshops and performing for an audience teach students to trust their ideas and abilities. The confidence gained in drama applies to school, career and life.
Imagination: Making creative choices, thinking of new ideas and interpreting familiar material in new ways are essential to theater and developing a creative mind.
Empathy: Acting roles from different situations, time periods and cultures promotes compassion and tolerance for others’ feelings and viewpoints.
Cooperation/Collaboration: Theater combines the creative ideas and abilities of its participants. This process includes discussing, negotiating, rehearsing and performing together, all of which are important and applicable life skills.
Concentration: Playing, practicing and performing develop a sustained focus of mind, body and voice, which also helps in other school subjects and life.
Communication Skills: Theater enhances verbal and nonverbal communication. It improves voice projection, articulation of words, and fluency with language. It also encourages listening skills.
Problem Solving: Students learn how to communicate the who, what, where and why to the audience. Improvisation fosters quick-thinking solutions, which leads to greater adaptability in life.
Fun: Theater brings play, humor and laughter to learning, which improves motivation and reduces stress.
Emotional Outlet: Pretend play and theater games allow students to express a range of emotions. Aggression and tension can be released in a safe, controlled environment, reducing antisocial behaviors.
Relaxation: Many theater activities reduce stress by releasing mental, physical and emotional tension.
Self – Discipline: The process of moving from ideas to actions to performances teaches the value of practice and perseverance. Theater games and creative movement improve self-control.
Trust: The social interaction and risk taking in theater develop trust in self, others and the process.
Physical Fitness: Movement in theater improves flexibility, coordination, balance and control.
Memory: Rehearsing and performing words, movements and cues strengthen the memory like a muscle.
Copyright 2005 J. Basom (Adapted)
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